New York state school mask mandate will end Wednesday

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sunday that the statewide school mask mandate will end on Wednesday. Soon after, Said New York Mayor Eric Adams the vaccination mandate for bars, restaurants and theaters could end as early as March 7th.

The governor’s office said the decision to end the mask’s term was based on “analyzing several key trends in COVID-19 data and consulting with health and education experts as well as parents. , teachers and school administrators “.

The state mandate will be lifted, but local officials will retain the authority to demand masks inside, Hochul said. Parents and guardians may also choose to send their children to school with masks.

Hochul said the statewide COVID-19 positivity rate had reached its lowest level since Omicron’s rise began this winter, and that the state had the lowest positivity rate since July 2021, before school started.

In addition, New York will distribute more than 20 million tests to school districts across the state, the governor said.

Masks will still be needed in some settings, including sanitary facilities, Hochul said.

In New York City, Adams said Friday he would make the decision to lift the mask’s mandate on the city’s schools, the nation’s largest public school system. He said he wanted to wait to make sure the numbers stay low after the students have returned to classes for a full week after the winter break.

Adams said the city’s vaccination mandate for restaurants, bars and theaters could be lifted as early as March 7, as long as the city’s COVID-19 cases continue to decline.

“We take this week to give business owners time to adjust as we monitor the numbers to make sure we’re making the best public health decisions for the people of New York.” Adams tweeted.

Vaccine warrants for New York City municipal workers remain in effect.

Hochul and Adams’s announcements arrived just two days later The Centers for Disease Control said the masking and social distancing is only necessary in areas where the risk of infection is high.

The CDC said on Friday that residents of counties at “medium” risk (about 42.2% of the country’s population) should wear masks if they are at higher risk for serious illnesses, such as those in the immune system. committed. People in counties with a “high” level (about 28.2% of Americans) would still have to wear a mask inside, the CDC said.

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